No question about it; the job market looks dismal for the foreseeable future. Driven by the for the prospect of more regulations and higher taxes employers are reluctant to hire permanent employees.
There are two ways to work in this situations.
One, some will treat the temporary job as a short term, stop-gap proposition. They will show up, do what they are told to do and not one whit more. They won’t make any effort to learn what the employer’s business is all about and what role their tasks play in the business. They will make zero effort to get to know the boss and the problems he is dealing with day in and day out. They will work on a here-today-gone-tomorrow.
Two, others will take the opposite tack. They will treat the job as an opportunity to show their skills, attitude, work habits, and adaptability … the assets that could lead to a permanent job.
Despite Job Losses, Opportunities Still Exist
No doubt about it, the prolonged recession/depression is causing many employers to freeze hiring or reduce jobs. In the mean time, some are using temps and interns to pick up the slack when they expect a rush of business through.
Therefore, there are many opportunities in a variety of industries for alert hard working employees to translate temporary jobs into permanent positions.
For example, UPS says it will hire 50,000 seasonal workers in the next 12 months. The company says it could move from 20 percent to 30 percent of temps who demonstrate their value during the pressured holiday season to full-time positions.
Manpower, the staffing firm, expects to employ about 10,000 seasonal employees. As many as 40 percent could earn permanent jobs.
Six Steps From Temp To Permanent
There are six steps that temps can take to increase their chances of landing a permanent job:
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It is wise to look at the temporary job as a stretched out interview. John A Challenger, chief of Challenger, Gray and Christmas, the consulting firm, says that many companies treat seasonal positions as “auditions to find some of their best people.”
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Make it known that you are interested in a permanent job.
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Behave as if the position is permanent: arrive on time, put in a full day, carry out assignments, respect the dress code. Be dependable. (That’s the number one trait employers look for.)
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Be flexible. Accept the less desirable shifts and assignments with a smile and can-do attitude. Better yet, volunteer for the extra tasks or shifts.
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Learn the business of the business and how your temporary job contributes to its success.
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Get to know the boss and his challenges. Help him solve them.
About the Author: To get more common sense advice on how to protect and advance your career during tough times, sign up at https://www.CommonSenseAtWork.com for a free subscription to Ramon Greenwood’s widely read e-newsletter and participate in his blog. He coaches from a successful career as Senior VP at American Express, author of career-related books, and a senior executive/consultant in Fortune 500 companies.